Notre Dame extended Research Community (NDeRC)

Lead Teacher: Position Description

The purpose of this page is to describe the position of Lead Teacher on the Notre Dame extended Reseach Community (NDeRC) project. NDeRC is a five year National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships in K-12 Education (GK-12) project. The project began in July, 2007 and extends until June, 2012. The graduate student fellowships usually begin on May 16th and extend for one year with a second year possible. The GK-12 program limits the student fellowships to a maximum of two years. NDeRC also has research associate positions available for local K-12 STEM teachers (Lead Teacher or Teacher). (STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) These positions also begin in mid-May and are renewable. There is no limit on the number of times they may be renewed. The Lead Teachers are a source of continuity for the project.

NDeRC aims to foster vibrant STEM community and rich STEM culture in the Michiana area. The NDeRC Lead Teachers both foster and benefit from STEM community and culture. The research associate positions are designed to assist the Lead Teachers in their endeavors to foster STEM community and culture. We intend that the research associate positions be both experiential and reflective.

Research

In order to foster STEM community and culture among and around the Lead Teachers we have identified three areas of importance: research, pedagogy and communication. Research is of primary importance to the GK-12 program. During the summer (35 hours per week from early June until early August) each Lead Teacher conducts research with a Graduate Fellow (Fellow) in the Fellow's area of research. We expect the Fellow-Teacher relationship to progress from training to assisting to collaborating in research. During the latter half of the summer the Fellow and the Teacher should begin to plan how they are going to engage K-12 students in inquiry-based learning focused on the Fellow's research and/or related topics. During the academic year the Fellow and the Teacher implement and adjust their plan.

Pedagogy

The Fellow's skills in the pedagogical arts are fostered in several ways. First and foremost, their interaction with the Teacher should progress from training to assisting to collaborating in pedagogy. Second, the regular presence (an average of 5 hours per week during the academic year) of the Fellows in K-12 classrooms informs the Fellows as to the current educational environment at the K-12 level. Thirdly, the Fellows and Teachers participate in the "Introduction to Pedagogy Seminar" during the early fall of each Fellow's first year. The Fellows and Teachers consider many aspects of learning: brain function and development, physical environment and social environment. Fourthly, we participate in several local events (Science Alive!, Science Spooktacular, the K-12 Forum, the Teacher Institutes, etc.) where we provide K-12 teachers and/or students an opportunity to further experience STEM culture.

Communication

To facilitate our efforts regular communication is essential. Below are some of the ways we communicate.

Mode	Participants	Timing	Topics
Summer "Weekly" Mtgs	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	1.5 hrs/mtg, ~5mtgs/summer	Per Agenda
AY "Weekly" Meetings	Fellows and NDeRC Coordinator	1.5 hrs/mtg, ~20 mtgs/AY	Per Agenda
Planning Meetings	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	3 hrs/quarter	Review and Planning
Wiki	Fellows, Teachers & Students	Weekly	Document activities
Blog	Fellows, Teachers & Coordinator	Weekly	Reflect on activities
e-mail	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	frequently-as needed	General
e-calendar	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	frequently-as needed	General
Phone	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	infrequently-as needed	General

Lead Teacher Hours

Calculation of NDeRC Year
40 weeks = 8 weeks + 16 weeks + 16 weeks
(Year = Summer + Sem 1 + Sem 2)

Calculation of Hours
280hr = 35hr/wk*8wk (summer research with a Fellow in his/her area of research & with a high school student)
160 = 5hr/wk*32wk (in Lead Teacher's classroom during AY)
25hr (events: all during AY - after school on Fridays and weekends)
25hr (meetings: roughly half during the summer and half during the AY - after school on Fridays)
40 = 1hr/wk*40wk (communication: wiki, blogs, e-mail, phone, etc.)

Totals
530hr = 280hr+160hr+25hr+25hr+40hr (all NDeRC/GK-12 activity)
370hr = 280hr+25hr+25hr+40 (outside Lead Teacher's classroom: a subset of the 530hr above)

Further Details

The yearly NDeRC Calendar follows.

Event	Additional Event Description	Participants	Approximate Timing
Begin/renew graduate fellowships	One year with the possibility of a second		May 16
First Planning & Review Meeting	Plan summer research	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	End of May - 2.5 hrs
Summer research begins		Fellows and Teachers	Second week of June
BioEYES Summer Institute	Week-long institute for the BioEYES activity and modern biochemistry labs	Biology & Biochemistry Fellows	Late June
Second Planning & Review Meeting	Review & plan first semester activities	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	End of July - 2.5 hrs
Summer research ends			First week of August
K-12 classes start			Second or third week of August
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Meeting	Review of NDeRC Project	Faculty Advisors/Mentors, NDeRC PIs and NDeRC Coordination Team	mid-September
Introduction to Pedagogy Seminar		Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	September, October and November: 4 Sessions
Science Spooktacular	Organized by ETHOS at their Elkhart offices	Fellows and Teachers	Friday evening and Saturday day in mid to late October
Partnering for Education and Research Forum	Foster local STEM community & culture	Local Teachers, Parents, University Personnel, Fellows and NDeRC Coordination Team	Early December
Third Planning & Review Meeting	Review and plan second semester activities	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinators	mid-December
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Meeting	Review NDeRC Project	Faculty Advisors/Mentors, NDeRC PIs and NDeRC Coordination Team	mid-January
School Science Fair Assistance	Each Fellow Assists in a school	Fellows	January and February
Science Alive!	For children preK-8 at St. Joseph County Library's Main Branch in Downtown South Bend	Fellows and Teachers	First Saturday in February: 9am to 4pm
School Science Fair Judging	Each Fellow judges one school	Fellows	February
GK-12 Annual Meeting	Washington, D. C.	Some Fellows, Teachers, PIs and Coordination Team Members	March
Fourth Planning & Review Meeting	Review and plan next year	Fellows, Teachers, Pis and Coordination Team	mid-April
Annual Report & Survey	Information will be requested of the Fellows & Teachers re GK-12 project		April-May
K-12 classes end			End of May
Monthly Summary of Event and Meeting Calendar	Does NOT Include Summer Research (280hrs) or AY School Visits (160hrs)	Does NOT Include Communication Activities which will average 2hrs/wk
Month	Number of Events + No. of (P&R+Wkly Mtgs) = Total Number of Events & Mtgs	After Hour Events	Event Hrs + (P&R+Wkly Mtg) Hrs = Total Hours of Events & Meetings
May	0+(1+0) = 1	P&R Mtg	0 + (3+0) = 3
June	0+(0+3) = 3	BioEYES Institute: Biology & Biochemistry Fellows	0 + (0+5) = 5
July	0+(1+3) = 4	P&R Mtg	0 + (3+5) = 8
August	0+(0+0) = 0		0 + (0+0) = 0
September	2+(0+0) = 2	2 Seminars	6 + (0+0) = 6
October	2+(0+0) = 2	Spooktacular & 1Seminar	7 + (0+0) = 7
November	1+(0+0) = 1	1 Seminar	3 + (0+0) = 3
December	1+(1+0) = 2	Forum, P&R Mtg	6 + (3+0) = 9
January	0+(0+0) = 0		0 + (0+0) = 0
February	1+(0+0) = 1	Science Alive!	4 + (0+0) = 4
March	0+(0+0) = 0	GK-12 Annual Mtg	0 + (0+0) = 0
April	0+(1+0) = 1	P&R Mtg	0 + (3+0) = 3
Total			26+(12+10) = 48hr

End